Defining continuity of care from the perspectives of mental health service users and professionals: an exploratory comparative study

摘要

BackgroundContinuity of care (COC) is central to the organization and delivery of mental health services. Traditional definitions have excluded service users, and this lack of involvement has been linked to poor conceptual clarity surrounding the term. Consequently, very little is known about the differences and similarities in the conceptualization of COC by mental health service users and professionals.